1.Welcome Back
A huge welcome back to all our students with a particularly warm welcome going to our new starters. At The Edge Academy we are proud to give students a second chance and work hard to help them achieve the best in everything they do. As a relatively new academy we recognise that we are on an improvement journey. Having led the academy for just one term, I have been overwhelmed by the support we receive from parents on this journey. I am proud to lead a dedicated team of staff who are passionate about ensuring students have opportunities to be successful to give them as many ‘open doors’ as possible when they leave school.
We have many changes in place at the academy this term and I hope you can join us at our first parents’ evening of the year to hear about the new improvements alongside finding out how your child has settled in this year. Karen Slater – Principal
2 Results 2017 – The best ever at the Edge
WELL DONE to all our students of 2017! We are proud of your achievements and excited to hear about your next steps.
3 Rewards
As you will be aware, we have high expectations of behaviour at The Edge Academy. We would therefore like to take this opportunity to thank the vast majority of students who have begun the term by making good progress in their lessons and conducting themselves appropriately in school.
In addition, we would like to inform you of a new reward programme we will be running from now on whereby all students who have met our standards will receive a reward in their “Brunch” period each Friday. Students have been informed of the new programme in school this week and understand that as well as aiming to accumulate “positive points” from staff and maintaining high levels of attendance, they must avoid the following sanctions in order to qualify for the reward:
- Detentions for poor behaviour.
- Detentions for truancy.
- Removal from lessons for poor behaviour.
- Any other incidences which are reported to the
Senior Leadership Team.
We will be continuing to run the “Star of the Week” award for the student achieving the most “positive points” from staff throughout the week and also continuing to award the “Feel good Friday” postcards for outstanding standards of effort, commitment and conduct.
We have also asked students this week to give the Senior Leadership Team feedback on what they would like to receive in terms of rewards. They are welcome to come to us with any ideas they have for the future and we will do our best to accommodate them!
4 Employability
We are delighted to be offering new employability qualifications this year. These will be offered to all year groups and all abilities. They are designed to look at personal development and skills required in the workforce of today. These extra qualifications count as GCSE equivalents for progression into colleges, apprenticeships and jobs. All with the added bonus of no exams! Much of the programme is delivered through form time so it is essential that students arrive on time to school. For further details please speak to Donna Blythe at the parents evening on Weds 20th Sept.
5 Communication with parents/carers
Please remember that as well as handing letters to students regarding academy news, we now put all letters on our website (www.theedgeacademy.co.uk) and text links to you each time this happens. We also post reminders on Twitter (address @edgenorthfield or go to website at www.twitter.com/edgenorthfield) and Facebook (address @edgeacademynorthfield or go to website at www.facebook.com/edgeacademynorthfield). Please follow/like our social media accounts as they provide exciting additional snapshots of academy life! Finally, we now also have a parent/carer electronic mailing list- if you have not already signed up for this, e-mail Vice Principal Andrew Wakefield at [email protected] and we will then e-mail all academy letters to you.
6 Curriculum changes
The curriculum has been overhauled this year to ensure we raise attainment and help students achieve their dreams. Our priorities through the newly designed curriculum are as follows:
- Increase the number of high quality and valued qualifications.
- Opportunities to experience vocational learning.
- Prepare students for the ‘world of work’.
- Teaching and learning styles personalised for students.
- Develop a love of learning.
These priorities will be achieved through the following:
*All students able to achieve level 1 qualifications in English, maths, science and two level 2 qualifications at the end of Year 10.
*All Yr 11 students able to achieve level 2 qualifications in English/maths/science and 2 additional subjects.
*All students working toward level 2 qualifications in employability.
*Work related learning placements for all Yr 10 & 11 students.
*Weekly college lessons for all Yr 11 students.
*Newly introduced Pixl Edge and Princes Trust qualifications for all Yr 8 and 9 students.
*Increased number of practical subjects offered.
*Focus upon teaching styles matching students’ individual learning styles.
*Introduction of an enrichment afternoon.
7 College visit
Year 11 made their first visit to South & City College this week as part of their careers curriculum. They had a tour of the college to discover the opportunities available when they leave school. Giving students opportunities to experience what is available to them is vital in helping them to plan for the future and to help shape their dreams.
It also gave Mr Gayle an opportunity to meet one of his heroes!
8 School day timings
A reminder that as part of our improvement strategy, we have altered the school day timings:
Mon – Thurs
9:15 – 9:35 Form/employability
9:35 – 10:35 P1
10:35 – 11:35 P2
11:35 – 11:45 Break
11:45 – 12:45 P3
12:45 – 1:15 Lunch
1:15 – 2:15 P4
2:15 – 3:15 P5
Fri
9:15 – 9:25 Form
9:25 – 10:25 P1
10:25 – 11:25 P2
11:25 – 12:00 Brunch
12:00 – 1:00 P3
1:00 – 2:00 P4
9 Parent’s evening – Weds 20th Sept
Please join us for our ‘fish and chip’ settling in evening on Weds 20th September 4-6pm. All food provided free. Staff will be available to update on students’ progress.